I just like a little substance with my style statements, and raising your forks 2" on anything is a pretty dumb idea. On an overweight, underpowered Hinkley Bonnie it's absolutely retarded.

But they're having fun and looking "cool".

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Taking it a bit farther, I think these guys just take themselves WAY too seriously. Talking about hitting the road and searching for meaning, rediscovering what it was to live on the road, (insert rest of cliches here). How long were they even on the road? A week? Maybe two? From the little I was able to read on their website it looks like they just rode around California. Anyone who describes THEMSELF as an "artist / bluecollared intellectual" is probably more of a rich kid with a trust fund and almost certainly a pretentious, self-aggrandizing prick. The whole thing just seems a little too hollow to me. Too much tooting-their-own-horn, too little real substance.

I'm not sure you guys grasp the whole age of technology where in it's easier to share what one person is doing and being more connected with everyone around them (the internet.) So it's a common, modern thought to want to show and share what you are doing. Ya'll didn't have this prior to the 90s nor did you have the mindset to even think about wanting express that...all you knew was ride. So think of it as a modern thought, a completely different mindset than what the older gentleman here might have.

I'm not sure you guys grasp the whole age of technology where in it's easier to share what one person is doing and being more connected with everyone around them (the internet.) So it's a common, modern thought to want to show and share what you are doing. Ya'll didn't have this prior to the 90s nor did you have the mindset to even think about wanting express that...

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I know I hang around in Old Skool, but don't assume that I'm old. I'm 29. All of the "look at me! look at me! aren't I cool?" is just kinda sad. If their stated aim were true, they woudn't be clammering for so much attention and publicity. They probably spent more time taking photos and videos of themselves than they did riding.

In this age of rampant "sharing" and "self expression" many of the young are failing to consider the fact that maybe nobody gives a shit about their facebook status or the photos they just posted. It seems that they're incapable of just enjoying something purely for what it is.
It seems that they have to be able to "blog about it", take a video of it or share a photo of themself doing it on facebook in order to get any satisfaction out of it. It's going to result in a crippled generation of approval-seekers unable to find happiness from within themselves - their sense of self worth based entirely on how many of their "friends" comment on their most recent post. All of this has replaced real face to face contact with the people around us. If you think that sitting in a room by yourself staring at a piece of plastic in front of your face for hours on end is actually "being more connected with everyone around you" then maybe it's time for a quick reality check.

I'm not sure you guys grasp the whole age of technology where in it's easier to share what one person is doing and being more connected with everyone around them (the internet.) So it's a common, modern thought to want to show and share what you are doing. Ya'll didn't have this prior to the 90s nor did you have the mindset to even think about wanting express that...all you knew was ride. So think of it as a modern thought, a completely different mindset than what the older gentleman here might have.

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That's a huge topic right there, Blaine.

I think you and Airhead Wrangler are both onto something.

Maybe a discussion worthy of it's own thread? Or maybe this thread could support the discussion without derailing it?

There's certainly a lot of thought/opinion/emotion being stirred by the trend.

In this age of rampant "sharing" and "self expression" many of the young are failing to consider the fact that maybe nobody gives a shit about their facebook status or the photos they just posted. It seems that they're incapable of just enjoying something purely for what it is.
[/diatribe]

Not that anybody gives a shit about my opinion, but I'd like to share it anyway. I've been riding since I was 12. No one in my family rides, or really ever had except my dad for about 2 years. My dad had a Cb back in the late 60's and rode it for the cool factor...and it petered out. He kept his leathers, but never let me go near them. He now own's a cherry '63 vette that he never drives. My dad, and I love him, is very image conscious.

I don't know where my riding obsession came from. It wasn't an outside influence, I was born with it. Anyway, I wasn't able to own my own bike until I left the nest. So when I was 18, I bought a bike. Never thought much about my helmet color choice, or my jacket. Just rode the crap out of it and never rode with anyone else...until I moved to Atlanta. Started hanging with the British in the city crew and began to care about my image. Bought the stupid cork and rope Davida, and wore black t-shirts and chucks. I was 23. Saturday was the big ride day, meet at the shop and go to a bar and drink. Leave the bar riding like total assholes and blaze a trail home going 90mph. One day on Dekalb Ave, I was mid pack going 60. I slowed down, pulled over, and stopped and looked around. I was alone. I went home and never rode with those guys again, and shortly thereafter a very good friend lost his life riding drunk. "Fuck this".
g
So, I revaluated my riding career and went another direction. I took an MSF class and looked at the over 60yr old instructor. Found out there werent a lot of under 40 rider coaches in Georgia. So I became one to hopefully find the knuckle heads like me and get them to relate.

Anyway, image is something we all think about, but sometimes it will weed out the real riders from the posers. If you love to ride, I believe you eventually succumb to the fact that your half helmet, chucks, and "the black keys" t-shirt aint gonna keep you from shedding your skin. And who gives a fuck what you look like!! I promptly bout a used stich and arai FF helmet. I can out ride the shit out of every one of those guys on their trendy brit bikes on my ugly german lass.

I guess what I'm getting at is at some point in all of our riding lives, we gave a shit what we looked like and dressed the part. I mean I love a worn, brown leather jacket but it just isn't practical as riding gear for me anymore. Those guys went out to film a video. Their bikes were cool looking and so were they, they did a great job of giving you that feeling that fleeting feeling we all want to bottle up and sell. I love my chucks, and I miss my davida 'cause I could smoke without taking it off. But I'm smarter now and ride a hell of a lot more and need gear that will take care of me.

So, it is a cool video and gave me a feeling of being young and invincible. But, I'm 38, and I am liking the feeling I get when I'm alone. In the middle of nowhere, 35 degrees out, and I can see my breath when I exhale. No cell signal, and no one to talk to. I like it...

I agree. Eric was very good about helping me through the early mechanical learning curves associated with bikes ... always talked a bit-o-smack about my BMW, but what do you expect from a British bike nerd?

I can't hang with them anymore though. That groups brand of right-wing- intolerance is nausiating.

I agree. Eric was very good about helping me through the early mechanical learning curves associated with bikes ... always talked a bit-o-smack about my BMW, but what do you expect from a British bike nerd?

I can't hang with them anymore though. That groups brand of right-wing- intolerance is nausiating.

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...but I was trying to convey a "group" and that's the only one I've ever run with. Fred, Christan saw him the other day as he lives just down the street from us. He totally cut across all of Moreland and then cut her off to take a left on Memorial. She said she came pretty close to hitting him and in a f'ed up way, she wishes she had just to teach him a lesson.

I'm not sure you guys grasp the whole age of technology where in it's easier to share what one person is doing and being more connected with everyone around them (the internet.) So it's a common, modern thought to want to show and share what you are doing. Ya'll didn't have this prior to the 90s nor did you have the mindset to even think about wanting express that...all you knew was ride. So think of it as a modern thought, a completely different mindset than what the older gentleman here might have.

How have I missed this thread!? I need to stop playing with those dang motorbikes and hang out here more!

I thought that video rocked. I watched it twice. Thanks for posting that, man. The bikes were cool, the song was great and the photography was wonderful. Only bad part: I spent the whole time staring at their asses trying to see the tramp stamp.

...well said Grrl, some sober insight.
When those french guys (I would've guessed right-coasters) get bored (or dead) they'll go back to their safe lifestyles. maybe 1% will get new BMWs and new wardrobes...